Hirakud reservoir holds vast potential for cage Fish Farming: Pradhan
Bhubaneswar, Oct 3 (UNI) Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today said the treasure-rich Hirakud Reservoir in Odisha’s Sambalpur district has immense potential for cage fish farming.
Inaugurating the Common Facility Centre for Cage Fish Farming at Hirakud, built at a cost of about Rs 7 crore over 37 acres, Pradhan said the project will open a new chapter in Odisha’s fisheries sector and help unlock the reservoir’s vast resources.
Highlighting Odisha’s progress in fish production, he said that after Ganjam and Balasore, Sambalpur has emerged as one of the state’s leading fish-producing districts.
Fish production worth nearly Rs 500 crore currently takes place in Hirakud and its adjoining areas. Steps will be taken to further enhance output, he added.
The Union Minister assured that modern infrastructure, such as cold storage units and ice plants, will be established to preserve fish.
Advanced processing facilities, he said, will improve quality, making Odisha’s fish suitable for supply not only across the state but also to national and international markets.
Pradhan noted that Odisha currently produces around 12 lakh metric tonnes of fish.
Doubling or tripling this output, he said, would significantly boost both farmers’ income and the local economy.
To realise the vision of a Developed Odisha and Developed India, the Modi government has allocated nearly Rs 100 crore for an ultra-modern fish farming and skill training centre at Gosala Basantpur in Sambalpur, Pradhan announced.
The centre will train fisherfolk in modern techniques, hygiene, and advanced processing, thereby enhancing income and creating large-scale employment opportunities.
He further emphasised the district’s potential in allied sectors such as animal husbandry, dairy farming, and vegetable cultivation, and urged the administration to promote organic fish farming.
Odisha Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ravi Nayak, and Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik, among others, were present on the occasion.
